


we could be beautiful

by prefectrainflowers



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Fluff, Future Fic, Kissing, Light Angst, M/M, Minor Archie Andrews/Betty Cooper, POV Archie Andrews, Post-Time Skip, Teacher Jughead Jones, because jarchie and beronica are endgame, not a barchie fic, there the barchie tag is removed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-07
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-13 06:47:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29897199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/prefectrainflowers/pseuds/prefectrainflowers
Summary: A beat of silence passes between them, Jughead casually eating whatever he'd brought for lunch which was over halfway eaten already, "If it means anything at all, I'm sorry, Jug…"He looks up, chewing slowly with his mouth closed, studying Archie's face like a detailed painting, "For what?"OR a missing scene from last week's episode, plus doing what the writer's are cowards rn to do
Relationships: Archie Andrews/Jughead Jones, Betty Cooper/Veronica Lodge
Comments: 3
Kudos: 14





	we could be beautiful

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! Hello! Here's a missing scene(s) from last week's episode I think should have happened, enjoy!

It feels weird to be back, like some kind of odd fever dream and he'll wake up back in his sixteen year old form – still a confused and traumatized golden boy. But, of course, nothing of the sort happens. He's back in Riverdale, a changed man, but there's still that same Archie as he stares at the place he used to dread going to everyday. Only this time he landed on the opposite perspective funny enough. That same Archie who almost flunked out of chemistry, that scored the most points out of all Bulldogs even Reggie Mantle, who fit into everyone's ideal of what Riverdale looked like. Who felt like the center of Jughead's universe in a sense.

Most of the first day goes off without a hitch, for him at least once everyone locates their classroom. It all just consists of basic military history with the very few kids enrolled in his particular course. Surprisingly, only a few questions are asked personally to him about what experience he's had. For some reason, he expected more eager hands in the air. More crazy questions. More interested looks, not awkward silence and shaky hands writing notes.

Though he reminds himself, it's just first day jitters. After all he felt the same way they did on his first day. Way too shy to speak or ask questions out loud, he'd felt that way and talked Jughead through so many panic-ridden episodes. Things will be fine, it won't be so awkward and full of nothing, he tells himself.

Soon enough, they all migrate to the teacher's lounge during an opportune break time as if all of their minds are intermittently connected by a thread – all bearing the same idea. Except for one. There's one body missing. Jughead. Perhaps still stuck inside his classroom alone.

As if he feels he doesn't belong.

That hurts...

Standing surrounded by laughter in a room without Jughead feels...wrong. Like he's stabbing him in the back somehow. Leaving him out of something important. It's like no one cares. No one is bothered by his absence. Do they even realize he's gone? Or could they care less?

Betty catches Archie's lost gaze and walks over to him, "What's on your mind? Is your class really giving you that hard of a time? Can't be worse than mine, they won't stop asking me about my dad…" Her voice trails off and fades into the distance, and he feels awful for not listening to her. He barely acknowledges his half-answers he gives her, something about how his class is fine. Things with Betty have been...interesting, that's one way to describe it. Only something doesn't feel right. As if there's a void. 

"...can you believe that?" He tunes back in at an unknown point in Betty's story he has no idea what's happening. When did Kevin walk over here? Was he always there?

"You know...I just...had something I forgot about, mind if I take off for a bit?" He interjects, looking at Betty who stands with her coffee held in her hand eyebrows furrowed curiously. She wants to say _something_ , but she holds whatever it is in.

Instead saying, "Okay, that's fine, see ya later then, right?"

"Gotcha…" He promises her, pointing at her with a half smile.

"See you Archie!" Kevin shouts after he's started to leave, and he can't hear when they begin conversing once he's found his way out of the lounge. Even still just as gossipy as the teens they were the last time they graced these halls. Maybe nothing has changed...

He walks through the partly active halls (it's lunchtime currently, hence their break time) not stopping until he reaches the doorway marked with Mr. Jones outside in finely printed black letters.

Carefully, he opens the door slowly, making sure it doesn't slam when he lets it close. Yet, still at the sound Jughead's eyes move up to find the flame haired man entering inside the lone classroom. God _, he looks so good…_ Archie's always thought Jughead looked beautiful, way back in his beanie and leather jacket or denim jacket days with his youthful boyish face, but there's something so incredibly sexy about the now Jughead. The Jughead bearing glasses and tousled hair, tattoos covering around his body, clean and proper fashion (still complete with that Jug flair). Since he just had to add bits of him in there. 

"What, did they send you down out of pity? So the teacher's outcast didn't feel alone, is that why you're here?" Jug jokes, still with that enduring humor with him.

A long sigh leaves Archie's lips as he shakes his head, a small smile filling his lips as he approaches the desk, "No, Juggie, I came here of my own accord, if you can believe that." That nickname still leaves his mouth so freely, just as naturally as when they were kids. He notices something in Jughead's expression at that, a deep fondness in his eyes.

"Oh really? Do you really wanna talk to the social pariah of Riverdale?" He says, looking up from his computer at his desk, likely submitting grades or something. Glasses move upwards on his nose as he shifts his head to face Archie's.

There's a playful smile sitting on Archie's lips as he leans against Jughead's desk beside him, who's sat down in his chair, "Well, you know, it wouldn't make much of a difference if I've known him my whole life, would it?"

"Maybe not…" Jughead agrees, nodding his head to the side. "How's your...what's it fuckin' called?" He asks, trying to think of just what it is Archie teaches. That adorable look on his face when he's thinking with his pursed, pensive lips and eyes glowing with a thoughtful hunter green. 

"RROTC." He answers for him. "It went...slow honestly. I just think everyone's shy on the first day. I'm surprised there weren't any more questions for me." Archie tells him, an energy and excitement entering in his voice reserved for Jughead.

"Ah, I see…" Jughead nods lightly. "You got lucky, I'm sure all of my kids hate me." He says, a sureness to his voice, like it's a fact he's worked into his brain. A sad one, that makes Archie's chest stutter, his heart rattling inside beneath his ribcage.

A frown turns down Archie's features, and he feels a pit of sympathy open up in his stomach. "What makes you say that? I'm sure they don't hate you. If any of them do, I'd just like a word with them." He throws in a lighthearted comment towards the end.

There's a bright, sunshine-filled chuckle reminiscent of when they were teens without an idea how their lives would end, "Wow, Archibald, didn't take you for the type willing to fight teenagers for me. I suppose I should be flattered." He says, same sarcastic _Jughead Jones_ tone as ever. "But...uh...yeah, I don't think any of them like me. I've already got trouble makers that could give as little of a shit about what goes on in Of Mice and Men, which I can sympathize, it's not the greatest piece of literature, but it makes me feel like one of my old teachers who droned on about the most boring of things I couldn't pay attention to and…" His voice catches at the end of his words, trailing into the distance. Perhaps holding something back, in his voice, in his faraway gaze, in his ever so slightly trembling lips that he bites to hold still. "I don't want to become that for them, just be some dumb, boring old fuck they don't give a shit about." 

"Jug, I really doubt you'll be like that to them." Archie offers, already seeing Jughead's skeptical eye roll as if he couldn't believe that for a minute. "Really, I mean just be yourself, make it how you wish somebody would have taught you back in your time here. Think about it like that. What would be important to you?" He explains.

"Arch, this isn't the Bachelor, this is school and kids aren't gonna care or like who I am." He replies doubt clouding over his words. "If anything they'd probably just bully me even more than anyone back then did. Kids are fucking ruthless."

"You don't know that." Archie says back with truth. After all, there was nothing thus far to suggest that. If there ever would be anything of the sort, Archie would make sure it'd never happen again. Not a doubt on that.

"Maybe not, but I do know the typical perspective of a student here." He explains, looking into Archie's eyes that activates something within his heart akin to a flower bud blooming within. "Well, minus the murder and cults and everything else."

Archie lets himself laugh about their impossibly twisted, difficult young lives, "Aside from what comes with Riverdale, but seriously Jug...just try it. Be what would have engaged you back when you went here, putting aside all the…" He swallows as he looks on thinking, mouth growing dry as he realizes his eyes land on Jughead's jaw locked tight in place while listening. "Messed up shit in Riverdale."

"Now, gee that would be a feat, but thanks Arch." He says, a familiar smile resting on his lips so casual and light. One Archie has missed in their time apart. Yet, he'd find himself daydreaming about it constantly in his downtime. "Glad there's at least someone here that doesn't hate my guts."

"Jug…" Archie's tone communicates so many different things at once, saying, _Don't you say that, do you not know how loved you are? Because I do, I love you._ Saying, _I wish you'd stop talking about yourself like that._ It's stern, yet sprinkled around with enough warmth to show that he truly cares about him. All through a simple short one-word nickname.

He stares at him with a glint of something behind his glasses, Archie can't decipher exactly what, "What? Just saying the truth, might as well be honest with ourselves, huh?" 

"What makes you think that?"

Jughead shrugs, the action alone appearing unsure, "Dunno, just a hunch."

"Well…" Archie breathes out a little as the word passes from his lips. What is there to say to that? "I can assure you that I don't hate you."

"Why thank you for the assurance Archibald, much appreciated." Archie can't tell if he's being serious or his general sarcastic self. Most times the line blurs in his intonation, unclear one way or the other.

It seems that he understands that much because he locks eyes with the redhead pointedly, "I'm being serious, God, is this what my sarcasm has done?"

"It's okay, I appreciate the art, I think it's just that you have a deadpan voice for everything."

"That's true…" Jughead smiles in agreement. "But I really appreciate you coming over here, because you really didn't have to-"

"Oh, I totally did!" Archie interrupts, because he truly did, there's no way he'd let Jughead just be alone in his classroom while everyone else just talked away as if he didn't exist. That'd never be fair to him in his mind at least. "But, of course, Jug, do you really think I'd just forget you like that?"

Something shows on Jughead's face, a look in his eyes of what Archie believes to be restrained...frustration? Bits of anger laced in his eyes, yet very slight, not very obvious. Only Archie can tell because he does that thing when he's upset where the entire right side of his face twitches very lightly. Barely noticeable to someone who didn't really know Jughead, but incredibly clear to someone like Archie. Who knows the meaning behind every nuance in each facet of his many expressions.

That dull, yet present ache grows within Archie's gut, since he's probably not quite over how he broke that vow to meet one year later. He'll never forgive himself for that. Though he thought, did Jughead go there? He pictures it so easily and it breaks his heart, Jughead alone in Pop's, continually looking over towards the door expectantly only to be disappointed every time.

_Fuck…_

"I don't know really, I mean I haven't seen you in almost seven years and we live together all of a sudden." He points out purposely with a rougher tone, despite having a mostly calm facial expression aside from the trembling edge of his lips.

A beat of silence passes between them, Jughead casually eating whatever he'd brought for lunch which was over halfway eaten already, "If it means anything at all, I'm sorry, Jug…"

He looks up, chewing slowly with his mouth closed, studying Archie's face like a detailed painting, "For what?" 

"For not being there, I just...I'm sorry, unexpected things happened and I know I said 'no matter what is going on in our lives' but I didn't anticipate getting caught up in everything…" He says, not knowing how else to put it into words. Nothing had ever left his lips with more meaning. It shows through his soul, bared naked to the world exposed without care who sees. Certainly not Jug, there's not a layer that hasn't been peeled back with those two. 

Jughead considers over his words a few seconds, the longest few seconds of Archie's entire life. Practically the whole time, he can feel his heart peddling against his chest ready to burst. "It's okay, Arch, really, I accept your apology, and I admit it's probably really immature to be holding stuff like that still after so long…" 

Finally he could breathe easy instead of awkwardly holding in his breath while staring obsessively over at him, "That's good, great actually…" He smiles while looking over at him as the other man's green eyes lock with his. 

"You know, I think that you owe me a little something if you really wanna make it up to me." 

Tension fills Archie's chest quickly, trying to figure out what it is he'd want, wondering if he'd go so far to tease him like this. _Could it mean what I think it does? What if I'm wrong? God, I'd be so stupid…_

"Oh, yeah? What would that be?"

A smirk fills Jughead's face as he turns his chair to face Archie so that there's only a tiny bit of space separating their bodies, all of the oxygen finding away to escape Archie's lungs, "You know, a long time ago Betty pointed out to me, out of the four of us only you and I haven't kissed, so I figured, you know, might as well not leave that standing and it'd be a major makeup for what you did." He rationalizes, his infectious smile mere centimeters away from Archie's face. "So, what do you say?"

Rather than answer, Archie grabs Jughead's face and pulls it closer to his own, hooking his fingers gently under the side of his chin to balance it. Lips smash against desperate ones as he brushes his fingers through soft, tousled dark curls. Now, this is a dream Archie always thought would be left abandoned, yet here he finds himself locking lips with his best friend he'd wished he'd done much sooner. It's sloppy, but maybe that's what makes it good, it's not perfect like anything in this world. Warm lips grip around Archie's as Jug leans forward further in and teeth clash as they move against one another. It doesn't matter that it tastes of the sandwich Jughead just had been eating. All that matters to Archie is cementing this moment in his mind.

Capturing the moment he stays in this kiss before it's gone for good.

Though unfortunately it doesn't last for long, as the door to the classroom opens with a student wandering in to likely take care of something at the tail end of lunch.

"Mr. Jones…" That's all the student can muster out as their sentence falls flat.

They pull apart fast, Jughead sitting up straight, adjusting his now messed up hair and pushing up his glasses as he clears his throat, "Yes?" Oh God, Archie thinks, looking over to the boy standing there in the doorway looking curiously between the two. Did he see that? Please, in the name of all things good say that he didn't see that.

"I was just coming in to ask for the homework, I accidentally forgot to pick it up." He says, Jughead still standing and shifting on his feet occasionally cheeks mildly pink and flushed as he tries to act normal.

"Yeah, of course, just uh...take the paper from the pile in the open blue folder on my desk." 

The boy walks over, eyes still suspiciously scanning both considering it probably looks strange for Archie to be in here alone with him and oh dear God, what if he saw them kiss and he's gonna tell everyone at school that they're...well, he doesn't even know now. Luckily he takes the paper, wishes Jughead well and leaves, so that's good, right?

Jughead looks back at Archie, that caught in the headlights look all over his face from wide and worried eyes to his parted mouth open in surprise, "Arch…" He says, his voice desperate and taking the redhead back to the times he heard his nickname in that tone. Many stressed nights spent awake talking Jughead through spurts of panic. Times when he'd find Jug's face pressed against the crook of his neck.

"Hey, Jug, there's always a chance he didn't see what happened, all he could know is that we were in here having a really…" He pauses a moment in thought, "engaging conversation." Archie smiles assuredly. "Which is technically true."

Jughead rolls his eyes, "Uh huh, because that's totally what it looked like."

Great, it's not working to calm Jug's fears after all, "Look, I know you haven't really had the best welcome back here, but I really don't think this will turn into anything. That kid didn't look anything like the type bold enough to out his own teacher, if he even did see anything!" Archie tells him, not letting up his eye contact for a second, putting a hand on his shoulder encouragingly even. Half of it feels like giving Jughead assurance and half just telling himself the same thing. Repeating the mantra in his head that this wouldn't turn into something else. Right? They could afford to get a break from things that threatened to ruin their lives for a bit.

"I guess you're right…" 

"See? Look at the benefits of not seeing the world through a pessimistic gaze." 

"Gee thanks, also for the record it's called realism, look it up."

"Smartass…" Archie chuckles.

Before one or the other of them can fill the temporary void of silence, the bell rings quite loudly, signaling it going to class now (giving the students time to collect themselves so no one's gonna burst in for at least a few minutes) the sound plaguing Archie's ears. He doesn't want to leave. He just selfishly wants to cling to Jughead's being and never let go. Sure, they'd see each other at home again, but now it felt like the only warmth had been stolen from him in the midst of a blizzard. Call him dramatic all you like, it doesn't make the next few minutes any easier.

"Jug…" His voice shatters the silence gripping the room like a shroud.

Jughead's eyes land on Archie's soft golden brown, speaking for him in asking, _What?_

"We'll...talk about what happened later tonight right?"

The dark haired man's head tilted to the side, "I don't know, depends on what you think happened...what did happen Arch?" He challenges with his words, standing unbearably close arms crossed tensely.

Something about the way he lets those words leave his lips hits Archie like a knife to the stomach (something he unfortunately knows the feeling of) it hurts him that Jughead could even begin to think that such a thing would mean nothing to him. Like he just figured Archie handed out kisses to plenty of people and he's no one special.

"Well, we kissed…

"No shit sherlock." Jughead shoots back. "I'm sure it's just a stupid kiss, right? Doesn't mean a thing, doesn't it? I'm no more special than I'm sure whatever flings you had out there." That struck deep into his chest and plucked his heart from inside, knocking the breath from his lungs. It's not that he was wrong, he did have some complicated relationships with men he served with, but Jughead is different than any of them. None of them could ever even hope to reach his level. 

"I-Jug!" Archie's voice seems loud, but maybe that's just his mind amplifying it in the echo chamber it resides. "Look, we'll have more time to discuss this later, but trust me when I say that you're different, you always have been, okay?" He says, hoping his words break through to Jughead, are enough of an encouragement that this meant so much more to him. God, it really did, how is it that he can't see it? That he could think that Archie disregarded that moment as nothing more than a silly little kiss to be forgotten about. "What I did in my time there is my business, Jug, but you're so much more important to me." He realizes students are gonna start coming in, or waiting outside the front door awaiting for Jug to open up the door. So, he presses a quick kiss to his lips before leaving.

As he exits the classroom, he doesn't get fazed by the glances of students likely wondering just why he walked out from Jughead's classroom right after the bell had rung a couple minutes earlier. Sure, he can feel their gazes burning holes in his back, but he can't help how a smile lingers on his face from how he kissed Jughead Jones not once, but twice. And by God, he wishes it happened earlier under different circumstances because he loved every second of it.

It's all he can think about the rest of the day. Through when he's going through his other classes and priorities to the bit of time teachers have to stay after the students. Even at the very first teacher meeting to talk about their overall goals for the school with Principal Weatherbee. Archie occasionally offers up ideas, but his gaze meets Jughead's every so often. Surprisingly when the other notices, he doesn't break it. Instead carrying the gaze from behind the glasses sitting on the bridge of his nose.

Betty takes notice, her eyes looking in between them as she bites on the end of her pen in a form of distraction. Archie can see the questions forming in her mind. Noticing glances that last way too long and how they watch each other as they answer or speak up and practically nobody else. The redhead only ever tossing Betty a look on occasion.

However, he gathers up his things, ready to get back home to inevitably face Jughead again to talk more intimately about what today meant for them.

As he turns to get up, Betty randomly appears in front of him and he jumps in shock, "Oh! Hey Betty, didn't see you there."

"What's up with you and Jughead? You guys were acting weird in that meeting, did something happen?"

"We just talked, that's all, you know, had a real conversation." He tells her, most definitely not revealing the fact that they kissed. Not because they're necessarily an actual thing, Betty and Archie are more friends with benefits and both of them seem to know that. How it's not going anywhere beyond just a distraction and some fun. Maybe that's for the best after all. Especially since Archie has a suspicion Betty still carries feelings for Veronica.

She nods, "That's good, that's good…" Betty repeats, something in her voice leading Archie to believe she suspects something, but isn't voicing it. Or maybe that's just his paranoia shaping things into what they're not. "It's nice to see you guys are reconnecting." 

He smiles with a nod at that, feeling good about that since it was true, this did bring them together again, "Yeah, that's the good thing to come out of this I guess, you know all of us returning back here all together again. Even with all the shit tied to it."

Betty agrees and tells him she'll update him on things with Polly, he wishes her well and she smiles, thanking him. As she walks away, Archie can't help but notice how she runs into Veronica and giggles, saying something to her as the other woman smiles and tells her something as well out of earshot. There's a smile that forms on his face at the pure happiness not even any interaction with him could muster from the blonde. Ronnie's voice echoes in his head from years ago, _They're soulmates, good for them, don't you think?_

Archie drives home by himself, after all, Jughead's night shift at Pop's has started by now. Otherwise he'd gladly drive them both there. He did think, what if he just paid a visit to give Jughead a familiar face in one of the booths? Quickly comes all of the doubts pouring in. What if it's awkward since it would be coming after their last interaction being them kissing? Maybe he'll just throw him off his game, especially since they agreed to talk later at home.

Oh, well, what the hell?

He decides to just stop off over there because it couldn't hurt. 

Archie enters through the doors, the bells on the door chiming leading to Jughead tipping his head around so he can see who's there. Relief seems to flood his face, expression softening from the tension present before. Jug smiles, "Oh, Arch, hi, what a nice surprise! Just have a seat and I'll have your menu out as fast as possible."

Archie scoffs as he sits down in one of the middle booths, "Now, Jug, I'd like to think you know me well enough that you already know my order, or have you forgotten?"

"Oh, Andrews, you doubt my powerful memory." Jughead replies smartly, a smirk on his face. Tabitha stands working towards the back, just observing this with a tiny smile on her face. After a few students from Jug's class walk in, pointing out 'aren't you one of our teachers?' to which Jug answers an aggravated _'yeah, I am'_ , he finally gets the familiar Pop's burger and fries he'd so desperately missed. 

Once Jug has taken care of the group of teens' table, he comes over to sit in front of Archie, stealing a couple fries off his plate. Something that, because it's the dark haired man in front of him, doesn't annoy him one bit. In fact, he welcomes it. Only teasing him jokingly.

"Hey, I was eating those!" He teases, a smile on his face.

"Well, do you mind sharing?"

"Hmm, I might have to think about that one…" Archie jokes. It isn't long before Jug just steals another few out of habit. "So, how's tonight's crowd treating you?"

In the midst of chewing on his stolen fries, Jughead shrugs, making a so-so motion with his hand, "Been alright, only been a few uptight old people, so it's been pretty okay."

"That's good…" Archie tells him, glad that he hasn't been having a crappy night at his second job. "There's only so much entitled old white people one can take."

"Tell me about it." Jug says, stealing more fries.

Tabitha walks by shortly to refill Archie's drink, adding in a passing comment, "You know Jones, you've earned a break, I'll take over for the rest of the night. It's only like half an hour left till closing anyway." She says with a kind smile, obviously knowing from working beside him how hard he's likely powered through today. After all, Jughead's never really slacked on anything he really cares about or needs, aside from schoolwork at times. While Archie hasn't spoken to Tabitha many times, she has just a warm, kind, and bubbly feeling about her. Yet that feeling that she'd speak her mind if need be.

"You really don't have to Tabitha-" Jughead butts in, in his usual take nothing given to him because he feels he doesn't deserve it moves. Archie knows that well.

"Ah, ah, ah! I insist!" She says, tilting her head to the side, a hand resting on her hip. "Really, it's not that big of a deal."

Eventually Jughead gives in, saying Archie better give her the greatest tip in his life, which he did (25% to be exact) before walking out with Jug. He just thought it obvious to drive him home alongside himself. Especially given they live in the same place. That's still something to get used to, yet it still gets his heart fluttering.

Once they get into the car, Jughead flips through music channels until it hits something he likes and Archie focuses on the road as he goes the route from Pop's to his house. Silence envelopes the atmosphere within the car. It isn't uncomfortable or awkward at all since that's mainly impossible for them, but it's still heavy. As if there's a weight in the air.

The trip doesn't take very long and Archie catches Jughead's occasionally wandering gaze looking over towards him. Meeting it always is tempting, but he'd rather not get into a crash in Riverdale from looking over at his best friend who now was...a guy that he'd kissed. Not knowing whether it signified they'd like to be seeing each other or not.

Now they both walk in, Jughead immediately taking the couch with his whole entire body spread out across it from arm to arm. The flame haired man shakes his head playfully at the sight. Still, Jug has that inner child in him and Archie's grateful.

"Excuse me, I think I deserve this after working my ass off, Mister." Jughead says, sticking his tongue out, having noticed Archie's reaction.

"You still haven't changed, have you Jug?"

"More or less."

So, after Archie walks in, taking off his shoes first, he sits down right on Jug's stomach while he's still lying there earning an audible groan to which Archie just smiles, "You're a psychopath, you know that?" Jughead jokes.

"Well, what can I say? There's not really any other comfortable spots here."

"Comfortable for you maybe…" Jug says, leaning over slightly to get in a more comfortable position with his head rested on the armrest. 

"Do you want me to get up?"

"God, yes please!" So Archie just settled instead with sitting next to him, allowing Jughead to lay his legs on his lap. Fair enough, Archie thinks to himself.

"So, are we gonna have that talk?" Jughead speaks up eventually, staring up at the ceiling from the position he lays across the couch.

The redhead nods, a small sigh exiting his lips, "Yeah, I guess so…"

"Now, I know we both know what happened in that classroom, my question just is, what does that mean for us?" The brunette asks, looking purposely to observe Archie's reaction, the question combined with how Jug's gaze latches onto his, a cold shiver travels through his soul. Everything about him shows through Archie's outer core, practically the only one that could reach through besides Ronnie. Betty only on occasion, though there's never need for that with them, since what they have is purely physical.

"Well, it means for me that I really, really like you Jug." The darker haired of the two snorts at that. "No, I'm serious, Jughead, even with the time apart, you are and always have been the most important person in my life. I've always felt that, constant, even after Veronica and even apart from Betty. No one knows me like you do and I feel I can say the same on the other side of things. You're my soulmate, Jug, I just know it…" His green eyes twinkle at the word _soulmate_. 

"I do think our lives were intertwined for a reason, so in that sense I can believe we're destined soulmates." Jug replies, looking over at Archie. "So, where exactly do you see this going?"

That question piques Archie's interest, his eyebrows raising and lips pressing into a sweet, thin upturned smile, "Anywhere you want, I'd like us to maybe become a thing, if that's okay with you."

"Of course it's more than ' _okay_ ' with me, dummy." Jug says, looking at Archie's face like he's the eighth wonder in the world, and the most precious and beautiful one. Now, he's leaned up, inches away from Archie's face, until they're not and meeting in another kiss, noses lightly brushing one another. Here is Archie's safe place, arms curled around above Jug's waist with a warm hand caressing his cheek down to his neck meeting the other hooked neatly back around the redhead's. With heartbeats pulsing together as one, knowing things will be okay in the right here and now. Forgetting about the inevitability of the future to just drink each other in with such a passionate gesture.

Their faces pull apart, only they look even more adoringly at each other than they first did, "Just know, Arch, you are officially cursed for life, and from now on you have to share everything you ever eat with me."

"I'm far from cursed with you, and gladly…" Archie smiles, kissing his cheek as the two close out the day with cuddling together while watching episodes of Glee.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed! Please kudos if you liked it! Comments are encouraged and appreciated! Please, don't be shy, I always love feedback no matter how long or short!
> 
> I removed the Barchie tag, so there's no more complaining, please, if I see anything else I'll have to moderate the comments 
> 
> Love you guys! Until next time!


End file.
